Automatic dispensing apparatus



H. M. NICHOLSON.

AUTOMATIC DISPENSING APPARATUS. APPLICATION nuzu MAR. 28, IQIB. RENEWED JUNE 16. 1919.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

, I14 IIIIIII A 4 a n w 4. J 4 Z b W M Km 4 2 4 I? M w E "M 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD M. NICHOLSON, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE B. NICHOLSON, ONE-FOURTH TO ARTHUR D. NICHOLSON, 1) ONE- FOURTH TO WILLIAM LOWERY, ALL OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed March 28, 1918, Serial No. 225,195. Renewed June 16, 1919. Serial No. 304,739.

ditions in the art are clearly understood.- Because of the strict fire regulations in some cities it is not permissible to place the main contalning tanks of gasolene or other volatile and explosive oils under air pressure.

The employment of pumps for forcing the oil to vbe dispensed, to the point of outlet, is expensive and annoying because, when the pumps are power operated the cost of the power for operating them is considerable and, in addition, these pumps frequently get out of order, often at a time when the garage is the busiest in dispensing gasolene.

As this description proceeds it will be seen that the present invention utilizes the ordinary city water supply in conjunction with a novel' type of vacuum creating means, to

. create a vacuum in a transparent container,

so that the gasolene will be drawn into said container where it will be visible to the owner or driver of the automobile to be supplied, so that the purchaser will be assured that he is getting full measure. It will also be seen that the apparatus is practically automatic in its operation, it being only necessary for the operator to manipulate the proper valve or valves in order to quickly and accurately dispense any desired quan tity of gasolene or lubricating oil.

A further important feature of the invention resides in the fact that the parts are so correlated and arranged that the vacuum creating means may undergo a preparatory operation during the time that the gasolene is being discharged from the container into a waiting car, thus setting the apparatus in condition to repeat the dispensing operation for a succeeding car as soon as the first car has been supplied. Still another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum creating means of the type above set forth adapted to be automatically controlled from a distant point so that the container and dispenser may be located at the curb line, while the vacuum creating means may be located within the garage or other building, where it will be safe from freezing and secure against being tampered with by unauthorized persons.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows:

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the controlling means of the cocks in the water supply and waste line and Fig. 3, is a detail View of the drain back mechanism employed in the dispensing con- 'tainer.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts'in the drawing.

The apparatus comprising the present invention consists of a water tank 5 having a waste pipe 6 leading from the bottom thereof. Any suitable water seal may be provided in the length of this waste pipe, such for example as the box 7 and overflow pipe city service main, this line delivering into the bottom of the tank 5. Cocks 10 and 11 are disposed in the pipes 9 and 6 respectively and the ports thereof are so disposed that when the cock 10 is closed the cock 11 is open and vice versa. The plugs 12 and 13 of these cocks are provided with operating cranks 14 and 15 and these cranks are connected by links 16 and '17 to a stem 18. This stem is carried by a die hragm 19 and projects through the top 0 a diaphragm casing 20. A spring 21 is disposed between the diaphragm 19 and the bottom 22 of the diaphragm casing and normally tends to move the diaphragm upwardly. A pipe 23 leads from the top of the tank 5 to the lower portion of a transparent container 24, the latter being mounted upon a pedestal 25, adapted to support the container 24 at the curb line and in such position that a discharge '8; 9 designates a Water supply line from a l hose 26 from the container may be placed directly in the tank of a waiting automobile. The container 24 is graduated to indicate gallons and a valve 27 controls the passage of gasolene from the container to the hose 26. A pipe 28 leads from the pipe 23 through the bottom of the diaphragm casing 20 and is in communication with the space beneath the diaphragm 19. When the diaphragm 19 is in its raised position under the action of spring 21, the cock 10 is closed phere to the interior of the container 24 as will be hereinafter set forth.

' While 1 have illustrated a plurality of independent valves 29, 30 and 31 to perform the several desired functions this is primarily for the purpose of making the drawing clear and facilitating the understanding of the operation of the device, it being un-' derstood that it would be well Within the range of mechanical skill and a mere adaptation of any well known multiple way valve of the s ring 21.

upon the market to utilize a four way valve in the carrying out ofthese several functions.

An outwardly opening check valve 32 permits the escape of air from the top of tank 5 as the water rises therein and afloat operated check valve 33, which closes when the water reaches the top of tank 5, prevents the entry of water to the pipe 23.

' The apparatus having been installed it is necessary to operate it the first time by hand, to which end the operator presses downwardly upon the stem 18, to force the dia-. phragm 19 downwardly against the action This opens cock 10 and closes cook 11 and water from the service 32 at this time. As soonas the tank 5 has been filled the operator releases the stem 18 and the spring 21 raises the diaphragm thereby closing the cock 10 and opening the cock 11. The water will thereupon start to run out of tank 5 thereby creating a vacuum in the top of said tank and creatin a vacuum in pipe 23. The valve 29 being then opened a vacuum will be created beneath the diaphragm 19 and this diaphragm will be drawn downwardly, thereby opening cock 10 and closing cock 11. The valve 29 is then closed and the parts will be held in the position stated, namely with the cook 10 open and the cock 11 closed due to the fact that by dishonest or mischievous persons.

with the valve 29 closed, no air can enter beneath the diaphragm 19 to break the vacuum. Thereupon the water will again rise in tank 5; The foregoing operation constitutes a preliminary setting of the mechanism prior to the actual dispensing operation. When it is desired to dispense the gasolene, valve 29 is opened Whic results in the vacuum beneath the diaphragm 19 being broken, due to the fact that the rise of water in the water tank changed the condition of vacuum to a condition of pressure in said tank with the result that the diaphragm will rise closing cook 10 and opening cook 11. Thereupon the water in tank 5 will start to fall and will tend to create a vacuum in the up per portion of said tank which will result in drawing gasolene into the container 24, (whenever valve 30 is opened) through a supply pipe 35 which extends upwardly from a gasolene supply tank 36 that is preferably located beneath the ground. The flow of gasolene into the container 24 may be instantly stopped by closing the valve 30. After the desired amount of gasolene has been drawn into the container 24 the valve 30 is closed, the hose 26 is properly adjusted, the valve 27 is opened and then the air valve 31 is opened to permit air to pass to the interior of the receptacle. The closing of the valve 30 causes the full strength of the vacuum (part of which had previously been directed to drawing gasolene into container 24) to be exerted upon the underside of the diaphragm 19' and results in drawing this diaphragm downwardly against the action of the spring with the result that the cock 10 is, again opened and the cock 11 closed and the tank 5 refills, preparatory to repeat' ing the operation, it being thus seen that the time during whichthe gasolene is passing from the container 24 through the hose26 to the tank of a waiting automobile, is uti lized in filling the tank 5 so that when another automobile moves into position the apparatus will be in condition to immediately repeat the operation above set forth.-

It is to be noted that the tank 5 is entirely free of internal mechanism and the structureeas a whole comprises but a few, simple and inexpensive parts. The operation of the cocks 10 and 11 may becontrolled by the diaphragm from a distant point. In other words, these cocks may be actuated to secure the desired results by the manipulation of valves located at the container or in other be no danger of the water freezing in cold weather and where there will be no possi bility of the apparatus being tampered with at will further be seen that the conn ctions between thetank 5 and associatecL parts and counter 37 that is actuated by a float carrying rod 38. A check valve 39 is disposedin pipe and prevents the contentsof the receptacle from passing back into the tank 36.

To insure accurate measurement of the commodity dispensed, I provide a plurality of pipes 40 of varying heights which project vertically into the container 24. The lower ends of these ipes lead to a valve casing 41, within which a plug 42 is mounted to turn. This plug carries a handle 43 and this handle carries a pointer 44 which coacts with indicating marks (not shown) formed upon an end 45 of the casing 41. The casing 41 is provided witha longitudinally extending groove '42 and the end of the casing 41 opens'into the pipe 35 below the check valve 39. The plug 42 is provided with a plurality of ports 46 all of which communicate with the groove 42, these ports being adapted to severally register with corresponding ones of the plpes 46.

If, for example, it be desired to dispense four gallons of oil, the operator will leave the valve 30 open long enough to draw gasolene into the container 24 to a point slightly above the next to the longest of the pipes 40. The handle 43 will then be turned until it registers with that mark on end 45 indicative of 4 gallons, whereupon the contents of'the container 24 will drain out through said next to the longest pipe 40 into groove 43 and thence through pipe 35 to the main tank 36. v

Having described my invention what I claim is; 1

1. In combination, a measuring container, a supply pipe leading thereto a water tank, supply and waste pipes for the water tank, valves located in the supply and waste ipes, and pressure actuated means operab e by pressure created by the movement of the water in the water tank for actuating said valvesand a connectionbetween the tank and the container. r

2. In combination a water tank, supply and wastepipes'for the water tank, valves located in the supply and waste pipes, pressure actuated means operable by pressure ment of the diaphragm in one direction opening one of said valves and closing the other and vice versa. 4

4. In combination, a measuring container, a supply pipe leading theret0,-a water tank, supply and waste'pipes for the water tank, valves located in the supply and waste pipes, a pressure actuated means controlling the said valves, a connection between the tank and the container, and a second connection between the first named connection and the pressure actuated means.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a dispensing container of a source of oil supply leading thereto, a plurality of pipesof varying heights opening into the container, a connection which leads to the source of oil supplv and means for successively bringing said pipes into communication with said connection so that oil may drain from the container back to the source of oil supply according to which of said pipes is brought intocommunication with the connection. I

6. In a device of the character described the combination with a source of oil supply,

a dispensing receptacle, a plurality of p pes projecting into said receptacle, said pipes being open at thetop and being of various heights, and a common controlling valve for all of said pipes adapted to establish communication between any one of said pipes and the source of supply.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HOWARD M. NICHOLSON. 

